The Uttar Pradesh government will confer the prestigious ‘Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman’ on five distinguished personalities, including Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, for their exceptional contributions at the national and international levels. The honours will be presented during the three-day Uttar Pradesh Day 2026 celebrations, beginning Saturday.
According to an official statement issued on Friday, the awardees represent diverse fields such as space science, education, literature, women's empowerment, and agriculture. The event will be held at the newly constructed Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to inaugurate the programme.
Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, a native of Lucknow, is among the most prominent recipients. He created history on June 26, 2025, by becoming the first Indian astronaut to set foot on the International Space Station after launching aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. He is the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, marking a significant milestone for the country.
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Also selected for the honour is Alakh Pandey, founder of the ‘Physics Wallah’ education platform. Born in Prayagraj, Pandey started his journey with a YouTube channel in 2016, later launching an app in 2020 that provided affordable education to students across India. His edtech venture achieved unicorn status in 2022, becoming one of India’s leading education platforms.
The award will also be presented to Dr Hariom Panwar for his contributions to literature and education, Rashmi Arya for her work in women's empowerment through the Shrimad Dayanand Arya Kanya Gurukul in Meerut, and Dr Sudhanshu Singh for his achievements in sustainable agriculture. Dr Singh’s internationally recognised research on flood-tolerant rice varieties has contributed significantly to agricultural innovation.
The Uttar Pradesh government said the ‘Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman’ recognises individuals who have brought pride to the state through excellence, service, and innovation, while inspiring future generations to contribute meaningfully to society.
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